Ok lets break this down:
Major spoilers ahead.
Peele's new film is a clever, cerebral look at modern day US....A. I thought it was very good. It is such a layered film. I wasn't really a fan of Get Out, I thought that film was hugely overrated. But 'Us' is on another level.
There is alot going on in this movie in the background. So much foreshadowing and symbolism. So many nods to the socio-political landscape of America. The apocalyptic scenario we all face if we don't wake up. (11:11 is the rapture in the bible). Even the score in the baseball match is 11 - 11.
Right from the off we are given some easter eggs. There are are several characters wearing Black Flag t-shirts. Look up Black Flag records, what do you get:
https://i.imgur.com/8g518y3.jpg
With Scissors being the main motif for violence. As they're a symmetrical tool used to break things apart.
There is also a nod to 'The Lost Boys' in the opening scene as it's set in the mid 1980s on Santa Cruz boardwalk and we're told they're shooting another film there.
https://i.imgur.com/TDXxXQ1.png
Lupita Nyong'o's character wins a Thriller t-shirt early on. Then we see her doppleganger presented in this way, more than a passing resemblance:
https://i.imgur.com/yO6oleU.png
https://i.imgur.com/drHrXFs.jpg
The main theme is one of how society has been torn apart in recent times. This manifests itself in the way people that you think are normal, showing behavioural traits / opinion / beliefs you would never expect them to show / hold. Some people describe this as "the rise of the right" and "empowerment". They suddenly have a voice. This is shown in the movie by the tethered suddenly having a voice (literally as Red can now speak). They rise up and challenge.
It's no coincidence then, that the main moment of the movie happens when the central figure looks into a mirror. We need to take look at ourselves sooner rather than later.
The ending (humans linked in a barrier) also has large connotations with 'a wall', we all probably know what Peele was alluding to there.
https://i.imgur.com/mvkCyaV.jpg
There is also a very strong link to those tethered underground being the underclass. Eating raw meat. Underground. Peele may be alluding to the poverty gap widening.
There are also a load of nods to popular culture. I loved the beach scene reminiscing Jaws. I loved the car on the road reminiscing the Shining opening sequence, plus the twin girls paying homage to that movie.
https://i.imgur.com/vBN8bFG.png
The VHS tapes on the shelf at the beginning are a nod to popular culture (the Goonies etc) . And if you think about it - there is also a character in the Goonies that is tethered and can barely speak. I wouldn't be surprised if this is another of Peele's tenuous but clever links.
https://i.imgur.com/Tjy46bY.png
The music is also used brilliantly, especially towards the end with a stripped down version of 'I got 5 on it 'adding to the tension. A comedic NWA moment hints at Peele saying that popular culture and consumerism is for the privelaged and has effects on us a sit seeps into the public consciousness.
There's also a hint at Peel's Hitchcockian influence with the birds on the beach.
https://i.imgur.com/MdsmIWJ.jpg
I just enjoyed the intelligence of this film. The thought process gone into it. I wish all horror films were this cerebral.
Us tries to make us look at our shadows and reflect on who we are and whether we have best intentions or are complicit in something that will undo us. Whether we let the tethered prevail as they rise is the question left unanswered by Peele. Hopefully not.
Great film.
Well, to be fair it was well acted, the music was great and I very much liked the comedy aspect in it. It was also nice to see people actually fighting back, for once, and NOT behaving like a dumb bunch of helpless chicken.
Other than that, the plot had many, many holes and the final twist actually ruined the whole story for me. It was also very inconsistent about which "laws" these shadows had to follow - sometimes they were doing the same things as the people on the upside, but other times not... however it fit the plot in that moment, it seems. 'Us' tries very hard to be deep and stuff, but it really is not.
However, while it is not as great as I had wished it to be, it also not the worst horror movie I have ever seen. So, for a horror movie night it's OK to watch but don't expect too much, I guess.
Great movie, but what exactly are you trying to say, Peele?
How do I make sense of the weirdness in your film?
Are you trying to say that those who unite to build a wall, those who use their scizzors to divide other people in half, can’t see the light in the ‘US’?
Is the twist meant to indicate that we can’t be sure who’s on which side?
In other words: is this a big political metaphor, a critique against republicans?
Then again, you can also find themes about capitalism and class here, it’s so ambiguous and broad that it’s not being very precise on a subtextual level. Not that a movie has to, but this is a little too broad for my taste.
Still, great craftsmanship, really well acted, memorable, scary, funny, it’s very good.
The whole 300 million people are living underground reveal might be a little too much of a leap, I don’t think the movie was that fantastical up until that point (a similar problem that I have with Get Out, where the brain replacement twist kinda feels a little too out there compared to the movie preceding it).
7.5/10
I was shocked by how dull this movie was. This is not a scary movie. It's got a family who is attacked by their dopplegangers. Personally, I think walking into a room and finding yourself standing there is one of the scariest scenarios that I can think of. Yet this family has their own dopplegangers break into their cabin and one of the kids says "they're us". Huh?!?! That's it? Then they all proceed to battle their evil twin and honestly, there's minimal how-can-you-be-me? style interaction. Their reactions are really no different than if some unrelated evildoers had broken in.
There was a twist at the end that made me shrug my shoulders. There are a lot of theories online about the underlying meaning of this film. I suppose it could be a commentary on the differences in classes in America but that makes the whole affair even less interesting.
"Get Out" was my favorite film of 2017 but "Us" doesn't compare.
what can i say? had high expectations but this movie from jordan was boring AF. it wasnt scary, it wasnt that funny. Predictable and just not very fun to watch. the acting was good but the writing was pretty simple. The best thing about this movie was the creepy mix of i got 5 on it. In this case the trailer was better than the movie itself. And everybody looking for a deep meaning is just kidding themselves
Brilliant Movie. It has been some time since I came out of the movies and just sat down to think for a couple of hours. The last time was probably when I watched Get Out. Jordan Peele again proved, that he is a brilliant director for Horror Movies. But this kind of Horror is not that type, that is wildly popular - Not just the mix of jumpscares and Blood: There is a brilliant story behind this movie.
The acting was brilliant. I did not expect any less from Lupita Nyong’o, and the other main actors, who I did not know so far, played both of their roles perfectly.
The Story was great, sometimes I did not know where in the movie we are right now, and I thought the movie might end now: But it was just in the middle and I kept being excited the whole time.
The Cinematography was perfect. There are many scenes, that are just perfect stills from the movie. Amazing composition. Specially these scenes kept staying in my mind:
As expecting from Jordan Peele, there is a deep meaning in the movie. I interpret it as a representation of our society. There is Us, and there are people just like us, but in a different social status with different social conditions.
Those people do not have the social status to have the same education, same development, and same chances of the "upper class".
They don't even know that there is something possible up there, that they don't know about.
It needs one person to start a revolution. One Person who had it all, who knows what is possible, if they would leave their status and try to become more. Without that person they will be stuck "down there" forever - Because they don't know there is more to live for.
The "lower class" are the shadows of the upper class. They can not do as much as them and they do not have the possibilities of them. The analogy of the "reflection" like in a mirror just shows, that only one side can control the other - Not directly the other way around. You can control your reflection in the mirror, but the reflection can't controll you. Justl like when Jason controlled Pluto to go in the fire.
Basically, the action that the tethered did was a revolution. Against the "suppression" of the (what we would call) "normal people".
So it is very difficult to say if that movie is a happy ending or not. It depends on who is good and who is bad - specially since our main character is on the "good / normal" side although she is the reason the whole thing happened in the first place.
All in all, this movie was brilliant. I know there are probably hundreds of details that I have missed, but I love the fact, that there are still directors, that make good movies - specially since basically 95% of all movies that came out in the last 12 months were not good. Maybe enjoyable, but not good.
This is not just a movie to have some entertainment for two hours, this is an intellectual and amazingly made representation of our world. Of Us.
I applause Jordan Peele and thank him for this brilliant masterpiece.
This movie sucks! I don't now why people give such good score for this crap!! Terrible horror movie! My pontuation for this is -10!
I liked this movie alot. It's not the best horror out there, but it has a unique story. Only the movie tries to explain the story, but I think they shouldn't, it only makes the story more vague. I would recommend this movie for a horror night.
Firstly, I'm not on the Jordan Peele hype train. I love his comedic ventures but he personally still needs to prove himself in the horror/thriller movie genre to me. It's not that the movie was bad, but it felt like it tried to be more than what it was, which is a 1hr 56min horror movie. Now in some cases the mystery makes a horror movie better, but in this case the how seems a lot more necessary than the why. After watching this I honestly felt cheated out of a genuinely good horror movie that could have been alot more cuz again I kept asking, HOW? By the end it just felt like lazy writing and that he was just phoning it in. Anyway, besides that the movie is a pretty good time if you're willing to just blindly accept whatever far fetched concept this movie throws at u and expects u to just nod your head in agreement. 5 head nods out of 10
[9.1/10] Two films is a little early to start making grand declarations about themes and quirks and predilections for a director. And yet, if I had to make a case for why Jordan Peele’s first two films, Get Out and Us are both so great, I’d chalk it up to a three-legged stool of shared qualities. He roots his films in recognizable personal relationships and social situations. He bolsters that with tremendous nuts and bolts horror. And he adds a socially conscious theme to his films, which not only makes them more resonant and pointed that slashing for slashing’s sake, but which adds something elemental and that much more disturbing to the fears he conjures.
For Us that starts with the way the Wilsons feel like a real family. Long before the true horror elements drop, there’s the recognizable dynamic between a family of four, teased out in small reactions to a song on the radio, or eye-rolls at dad’s latest dose of silliness, or debates about table manners and bed times. Some of that relies on archetypes, but that’s balanced out by great, naturalistic performances. There’s a well-defined, eminently relatable family of four set up here, which makes it easier to latch on to the characters early in the film, and easier to fear for them when things really start to go down.
The same goes for the “family vacation” setup. Just as Get Out gained instant texture from its “meeting your significant other’s parents” premise, the way that Us plays on the recognizable sense of being away from home in that situation adds to both the true feeling of the film and lends itself to the plot. The safety of home is stripped away, and in its place is the mix of the familiar and foreign that comes with a visit to a sporadically-visited vacation spot. It’s enough to sustain the rush of memories that Addie deals with, and the sense of this family being out of their comfort zone when their attackers emerge.
And holy hell, are those attackers frightening. Their guttural moans. Their stilted, almost stop-motion movements. Their creepy smiles. Their red jumpsuits and terrifying shears. Even before the disturbing, animating premise of your own doubles coming to kill you, the simple differences between the “shadows” and our main characters in movement, appearance, and presence, are enough to unnerve you alone.
Much of that comes through performance. Lupita Nyong’o is titanic in the dual-lead roles. The contrast between the fearful humanity as Addie, tinged with hints of the film’s big twist, is remarkable in its realness. And her equal and opposite turn as Red, with such striking choices made in terms of voice and movement, marks her as the biggest strength in a film with few weaknesses to begin with. But she’s bolstered by outstanding supporting characters, from Winston Duke whose cuddly dad Gabe brings much of the film’s necessary lightness and humor, to Elisabeth Moss, whose one-scene wonder outing as the “shadow” admiring herself in the mirror is astounding in and of itself.
But Peele and company find incredible ways to use the menace of those assailants to fit different, unique, and above all frightening situation. It’s impressive how quickly Us cuts to the chase, delving into a home invasion, a brief moment of refuge, an endless chase while the world falls apart. The film’s creative team builds to these amazing sequences, each set up by some minor detail or feature of the premise, that leaves the viewer feeling as though our heroes are never truly safe. Us maintains the tension at a breakneck pace, with just enough moments for the audience to catch its breath before the next, visually striking sequence barrels into the frame.
With that, Us has many of the rhythms of a zombie movie, and much of the same undercurrent of social commentary at the core of that subgenre. There is a classist critique at the heart of the film, one that makes its antagonists terrifying and alien to the main characters and to the audience, but one that also ultimately makes them sympathetic, or at least understandable, in their desire to have the same things that their surface-dwelling counterparts take for granted.
You don’t have to stretch too far to see the hordes of unkempt, disquieting figures emerging from underground as a metaphor for problems of homelessness, problems of poverty, problems of those left behind from the prosperity and abundance that so many enjoy unreflectively (your humble reviewer very much included). The terror of Us undoubtedly comes from its well-built scares, chilling performances, and the atavistic anxiety of pursuit. But it also comes from the sense of this act as our chickens coming home to roost, the mortal cost of years of largesse extracted in flesh from the unseen unable to share in the spoils of modernity.
The most telling line in the film is Red’s response when asked who she and her family are. “We’re Americans.” Us builds empathy for its terrifying murderers in Red’s tales of woe, her plea that they are just like the ones above them: flesh and bone and blood and soul. That’s always the fear at the heart of a good undead flick -- a chilling reflection of ourselves, an abstraction that Peele makes literal and utterly terrifying in his realization.
Granted, if you stop and think about the reveal for too long, the origin of these “shadows”, it starts to fall apart, raising questions of plausibility and practicality that strain the shackles of the central idea. Still, it’s enough to pass the smell test in the moment, and to support the themes Peele & co. are channeling here. That makes it a little less perfectly clockwork than Get Out, but it arguably reaches for more in its scope, even if more falls through its grasp.
Still, what’s left comes through in its final twist, that sense of “there but for the grace of god go we,” the sense of profound injustice that merely needed the right, chance vessel to concentrate and liberate, the sense of the last lingering question of who deserves what, in light of the means used to acquire it all and the abuses visited on both ends.
Us puts those heady themes to work to frighten us with his haunting figures emerging from darkness and shattering the illusion of safety we work so hard to build in the light. He makes the middle class family, so often the focus of Hollywood, so recognizable and real in a way that heightens the terror when it all comes crashing down upon them. And he puts his focus on something more deeply unsettling that transcends the space between the first frame and the end credits. There are people no less human than ourselves who go unseen, made to suffer behind a veil to our benefit, to our apathy, who only merit our notice, and our fear, when they dare to peek above and demand a small slice of what we enjoy without thought or care.
Us > Nyquil
This movie is so boring
Praised and overrated only because it's 'progressive'
This was neither a comedy nor a horror movie. If you are one of those geeks who want to overthink every little prop in the movie, this one is for YOU! There's "symbolism" in EVERYTHING! What a joke. I really had high hopes after watching the awesome movie 'Get Out'. Us on the other hand has no substance. Complete waste of time. If you have to Google what the movie is about after watching it, then it's a MAJOR FAIL! This was so predictable and flawed.
ok so the first thing to really be aware of when approaching this movie is This isn't Get Out. And that means from a number of angles. Get Out was Jordan Peele's dream movie. He's had it in his head for a long time. He's been working it out over and over and over in his head. Presumably when he got approval to make a movie he had pretty much the entire film plotted out. We also know it was affected by the environment. Specifically the ending which was changed because of the social environment. I happen to like the ending we got better and while it might not have been the original vision it's entirely possible Peele likes it better as well. Also for a guy who really really loves horror this movie didn't really fit into the horror genre which is why he sorta made up the genre for it "social thriller". I think that very very accurately captures what happens in Us.
Now Us captures a very very different feel. I would suggest that any similarities to Get Out are more due to having the same director than being the same type of film. They're not the same type of film. In no way would I call Us a social thriller. It's more very clearly a horror film that Peele wants to see. In spite of the many many interpretations and symbolism that people see. It's not as surface level as Get Out instead it's more aligned with what you might normally see in a slasher horror film where symbolism is often attributed to horror fans watching too many horror films rather than clear inspirations from the film itself.
At this point the two important things I need to say are that 1) I hate horror movies. I took a big risk with Get Out because I didn't want to see it but the way Peele kept calling it a social thriller gave me enough pause because I do enjoy thrillers to say maybe I will give it a shot. I'm glad I did I loved Get Out. 2) I liked this movie. It's a great movie. I might even watch it again having already seen it. But it's everything I feared Get Out would be. I might not watch another Jordan Peele movie after this because I find horror movies functionally unethical. Which is a shame because horror films always have the most interesting premises and stories when I read up on them but I don't like being scared. That's not my fun.
You can watch the hundred thousand think piece videos and essays and video essays about Us some of it I buy like the sub theme that suggests maybe the that men shouldn't be leaders. I saw a very intersting tweet that pointed out all the men/fathers fail their families. Gabe doesn't take Adelaide's advice and fear seriously, the white guy gets his family killed because he dismissed his wife and even Adelaide's father drunk and implied cheater loses his daughter by not doing what his wife asked which kicks everything off. and some of it I don't There's a theme that impies the young boys were switched like their mothers. I don't believe it but in fairness to those that do (and this is generally what all the "the twist you didn't see" videos are about) there's a lot of evidence to suggest it like 1) he's not making castles he's making tunnels 2) he doesn't know what the trick is 3) "he hasn't been the same since grandma died" 4) "I don't know where the bat is" - there's a healthy handful more but that's just a taste.
There are plot holes that I don't consider plot holes there's no barrier stopping the Tethered from going up so what's been keeping them there until now for any number of reasons and then there are questions that occured to me after the movie where and why on the uniforms? I sorta get why she wanted them all looking the same because unity for the hands across or whatever but where they all get jumpsuits? But here's a fun fact that a lot of people might have missed i certainly did until I saw a video with Peele. Three ideas: Thriller T-shirt, Red, One glove. . But I liked the family they did realistic things and that was fun.
The actors were all fantastic because I believed both sides. The scared nearly out of their minds true family and the psychotically violent red family. Lupita especially was incredible. I've always said I would love to see Lupita in a movie I want to watch. This was almost it. In Non-Stop she was a secondary character but fun. In Black Panther she was good but so so outshined by Danai Gurira's Okoye. The rest of her movies I haven't been interested in. I'm SO looking forward to her heist film with Rihanna. Here I finally got to see Lupita shine and she's magnificent. She went all the way for this film and it shows. Winston Duke's Gabe was an excellent "everyman" Dad who actually kinda does look like Jordan Peele cosplay. I actually liked Shahadi Wright's Zora/Umbrae they were both pretty darn good. I'd totally watch her in more thrillers.I actually walked away from the movie with no real questions. But after reading a few articles, watching a few videos I think I could dig a little more into the movie. I would certainly enjoy it for it's oververt entertainment value if nothing else.
It’s sloppy, lacks logic or internal consistency, makes really bizarre and inane storytelling decisions, and has a less than satisfying ending. It’s also strangely fun and absorbing and a good time, even if you end up racking your brain trying to figure out the logic.
Following up his excellent "Get Out," Jordan Peele gives us "Us," the story of a family terrorized be evil doppelgangers who want revenge for something and to finally get their time in the sun in a very clear socioeconomic metaphor. Ultimately it doesn't make a lot of sense, and yet there's still something strangely compelling about this film. It's as though Peele tries to walk us through the door, but realizes too late that he forgot to open the door first and we end up crashing through it, Kool-Aid man style, getting a few splinters stuck in our eye in the process. We get the results we ultimately wanted, but it's far from painless.
The problem comes down to basic logic. As the movie goes on, you can't help but wonder how exactly this works. When needing to identify with movie characters, you have to figure out how the world they're in works. Honestly, I found Middle Earth to have more of an internal logic than this world. And this is supposed to be our world, not some weird fantasy realm.
While this movie is plagued by problems with disbelief, it’s still strangely fun. Like, really fun! It’s a great idea, just sloppily executed and rushed out without fixing the logic part. As such, it’s one of those movies that seems to have divided audience everywhere. I myself can see both sides, so it’s getting a middle of the road rating from me. If you can consciously suspend disbelief in the face of some major logical problems, you’re bound to have a lot of fun. Otherwise, you might want to skip it to save your own sanity.
Waited on watching this one after hearing so many people say it sucked... In fact it does not suck... Horror film for intelligent adults, so didn't listen to all the lil chidrenz bad reviews, butthurt cause they didn't get to see any 'splosions n tittays
As a fan of Get Out I was looking forward to this. Pretty terrible in all honesty. Boring horror sequences. Slow story that was ridiculous. A family I didn't really care about. Cultural references galore. Over use of scissors. More funny than scary when the plot reveals itself after 40 minutes. Obvious plot twist at the end. Jordan please go back to fun trash instead of tripe. Too late, I see everyone things he's the next horror genius. Now that is scary.
I'm very surprised after watching US and coming here to see what others thought, only to find high ratings. Its utter garbage. The storyline could be good one but this is not the way to tell it. The only creepy part was when they were standing at the top of the drive (which you see in the trailer), after that it was not scary, boring, badly acted and more of a bad comedy in my opinion. I seriously would recommend you don't waste 2 hours of your life watching this. Go on imdb and read the reviews they're all 1*. I wish I went read them first before I wasted my time. - 1
Act one meh, Act two fun, Act three once I realized WAY too early in the film, and saw just how this was WAY too telegraphed that this was another Occulus and every other doppleganger type film became lame . it’s a MEH from me.
The trailer to this movie was very interesting. I'll definitely give this a shot! Updated review will come after I've watched it. Meanwhile, happy watchings!
If it wasn't for the plost twist, I was going to say this movie is bad. Only 5 minutes to the end, the director simply made the best twist I ever saw, making everything make sense and giving us a lot to think about. Amazing.
For an American, if you want to peel open the surface layer, Us is supposed to offer you a lot more. For a Non-american, it offers a mediocre horror film with some allegorical bits if you really want to dig deeper and have nothing better to do.
An American family is out on a vacation at their summer home near a beach. They come across their doppelgangers who are out to kill/replace them. These assailants call themselves 'Americans'. This word here forces the American audience to think something more than what's on the surface.
The movie is supposed to critique the capitalist American dream and the nature of incessant hunger for more stuff just to get validation from your peers and thereby in your mind. The soulless existence fueled by desire, instigated by marketing comparison can apply to any country. With their lack of a long culture and tradition, it probably applies more to America and additionally, the antagonists calling themselves Americans might have nudged all film theorists to have a probing, analytical eye towards the film.
However, at the end of watching the film with little context, as a non-american, I wasn't very thrilled. The critique is not making a strong statement unless the audience is looking close enough. But if you stare long enough at something, it can start to look like the thing you want to see.
From the execution standpoint, the film looks mediocre again. Although Lupita Nyong'o remains in your mind for a while, the rest of the cast performs merely okay. No bells and whistles in terms of direction or cinematography either.
If you are an American probably give it a try, if not, I don't think it's worth your time.
All the people talking about race and whatever bullshit with Peele's films kind of sour me on the projects. It's reminding me of Hideaki Anno and the collective analysis that happened with Evangelion. People trying to find this grandeur meaning behind the imagery used in the film, when the mundane reality could just be Peele is making more cliché horror, albeit with a more careful and artistic lens. Everyone labeled Get Out as this masterpiece of screenwriting that's a commentary on whites using blacks for their own gain, and that's not to say those themes aren't present, that doesn't mean it makes the film's formulaic storytelling a step above or revolutionary, or dare I say it, "brave." Peele's previous felt very much like a typical Blumhouse horror movie, but because some notes about his views of race where used as a piece of the storytelling, the critical circles lavished it with, in my opinion, unwarranted praise. It was a standard family horror fair, if you've ever watched horror, you can pick out the set pieces and notes from a mile away, I know I did, but oh, now critics will pay attention to horror because it has some undertone "messages" about race relations. Just because you have those themes does not automatically elevate your film above others, and that's the sad narrative surrounding Peele's otherwise decent movies.
I've enjoyed both of his films so far, and Us I actually enjoyed even more. It's a neat little film that has much more in the way of set ups and pay offs. This is a better constructed screenplay. Every beat and cue comes back to finish off it's arc with amusing grandiose. The hands across America commercial, use of handcuffs, the flare gun line (which comes back in the form of a weapon), and little pieces in the dialogue like, "Doesn't anyone care about the apocalypse?" there's quite a jam packed screenplay in the first and third act. I think it's the second act things get a little too padded out. It's entertaining with some almost hilarious displays, like the neighbor (on her last breath) telling the device to call the police, but it turns on Fuck the police the song instead. There's a surprising amount of humor in here, some working better than others. The family is likable enough, but isn't developed much outside their ambiguous goals, like the daughter conveniently was on the track team, and she's the one who's told to run. The characters serve the plot for the majority of the run time, it's not about them, it's what happens to them and their clones. If you just want action, there's lots of it in the second part, like I was saying, it just gets too long with seemingly not much purpose, upon which is gets exhausting. The third act comes around to finish off the story (and show off the facility underground I called) that was set up and kind of forgotten about, in a nice little bow that's not as clever as any of Shyamalam's twists, but at least brings everything full circle. Maybe everything was a little too predictable. My family guessed the mother was actually switched around in the Merlin's Forest like a half hour before it was revealed. I think this is a case of a script, and I know, who am I to judge Peele, but everything was in place here, I just wanted more a reason to care. I don't really know anything about this family or why I should care about them. The mother is coming to terms with her fear and really, the fact she stole her way in to what she wanted, so there's some nice conflict there. The daughter is mostly a reclusive young girl that sticks to her headphones, the boy likes to wear masks and is also a bit reclusive and weird, and the dad is... well, dad. I enjoyed it enough, but nothing that sets much apart from other things like it. Just some nice camera work (the telephoto shot of the clone boy walking backward in to the fire was a real treat) and editing that kept me engaged. Probably won't rewatch it soon.
Gabriel is the most annoying character in the whole movie, i wanted him dead since he talked . Overall is a very interesting movie, i liked it, the original idea of it is cool . Lupita is the best of it.
I think of this movie as a horror fable. It's a fable in that it's a story with a lot of symbolic meaning, and it's not aiming to be fully realistic.
I loved it! But I can also understand how viewers could be disappointed if they're looking only for a straightforward horror story and they're not interested in unpacking the layers of meaning.
The underground world doesn't hold up to scrutiny. If you start asking, "how does this actually work?" and "how did it go undiscovered for so long?" it doesn't really add up. As a viewer, you can either accept it at face value or not. I didn't have any problem accepting it because the underground is presented as a spooky, supernatural phenomenon rather than as literal science fiction. It was a wise choice to avoid giving too many details about how it all works. (There is a bit of a sci-fi explanation given for its origin, but it's very hand-wavy and short on details.)
The core message that I took away from the story is that the people in society we might think of as different from us are not that different after all. We're all human, but we grow up in different environments that shape who we become and what possibilities are open to us. The big twist about Red's true identity drives this point home. The movie lets us believe the people from the underground world are monsters and that they are sub-human. But then we find out that Adelaide, a fully human character, is one of them! This forces us to reconsider our first impressions of the underground dwellers. Rather than seeing them as monsters to be hated, perhaps instead we should have compassion, and we should ask why they had to grow up in that awful environment in the first place.
Although the story is a fable, it's important to me that the movie also works as an engaging thriller. The acting is fantastic, the tension builds really well, and I found the doppelgängers truly creepy.
Jordan Peele follows up his breakout hit, Get Out, with the psychological horror-thriller Us. While on vacation a family is attacked by what appear to be their doppelgangers. The script is a little weak and opens up a lot more questions than it can answer. However, the performances are pretty decent (some are downright terrifying). And though the “privilege” allegory is a little muddled, Peele does a good job at building suspense and tension. Additionally, the violence is pretty intense without being gratuitous or exploitative. While there are parts of Us that don’t work, overall it’s a chilling horror film.
When I saw them standing in the drive way I was like
GET YOUR GUNS
Don't waste your time on this bs
Sim, uma história diferente como as história de terror/suspense que vemos por aí. Mas ainda assim, não é um clássico do terror.
E por favor, que teve essa idéia de ficar misturando terror com piadas no meio do filme?
Ainda assim, vale as 2 horas
Great cast, acting, and directing, but I found the movie itself pretty boring and kind of repetitive. I liked the ending though, and there is clearly so much to analyze in this film.
This is with no doubt one of the worst movies of all time! In the beginning I thought this would be funny but it is so ridiculously bad that I had to quit it. Total waste of time.
This movie was just like 'The Twilight Zone (2019)'. "A thing which was overanticipated with great expectations from J.Peele but didn't quite hit mark and left us underwhelmed."
Great final! There are some long-lasting moments that can be boring, but in general the film is good enough. All soundtracks match the emotions.
"Us" was a big let down for me after "Get Out". I mean, the film is not bad: the start and the ending are ok, there is some good kubrickesque camera work, the score is immersive at times, there is a funny "Home Alone" reference joke... but the rest, I don't know. I thought the acting was sub-par, I could not connect with any character at all (Elisabeth Moss was horribly wasted in her role) and the message, if any, got lost in the mess. Is it about class fight? Is it anti-war? Is it just plain nihilistic? I'm sorry but Jordan Peele needs to get his shit together as one of the most promising directors and writers of his generation, the new "The Twilight Zone" is not shining so bright either.
Não gostei, estava a espera de mais :pensive:
I understand if the brilliant mind of Jordan Peele has these crazy thoughts which he maybe wants the world to see and appreciate, but in all honesty Us is a movie which looked real good in the trailers but that is all that is good about this movie.
If there is a shadow for every single person in the whole wide world, who live beneath the ground, that might mean there will be a lot of landslides and cave-ins, but the thought itself is just not 'scary'! So, I cannot recommend this movie as a horror movie.
Getting it right out the way : Not Scary.
I'm not an intellectual so i can't comment on other themes of the movie, whatever they were.
I have a feeling this could be a great movie, that I simply didn't understand beyond a surface level. I enjoyed it quite a bit as a horror/thriller, with one of the highest creepiness factors and concepts I've seen in a long time, but that was about it.
I would struggle to point to a single metaphor, complex interpretation, or deeper meaning that I might have taken away from this movie. Listening to the Slashfilmcast afterwards was an eye-opening experience in terms of the wealth of meaning the hosts read into this movie, but literally none of that struck me while I was watching it or thinking about it on my own afterwards.
I don't know whether that's because I'm just too dumb for this movie, or whether it's a cultural thing - it seems like the props and artifacts and cultural touchstones that were used to create a lot of the metaphors were very specific to the United States, and not things I had the slightest clue about or memory of.
Either way - highlight recommend this to anyone who likes a great, creepy, truly unique horror movie experience.
Thrilling and thought-provoking with a big final plot twist.
If you go in thinking this will be as accessible as Get Out, you will be disappointed. This movie almost exclusively happens on a metaphorical level. The "literal" plot is absolutely nonsensical.
In my opinion, you get just as much from watching the film unfold as you do watching a YouTube video explaining the meaning. It's not really an enjoyable story in and of itself, but you can tell that's not what they cared about.
This was haunting, creepy, disturbing and also suprisingly fun with the well placed humor here and there. Intens story and storytelling. And yes, the clue was seen a mile ahead but I don't really care because the superb acting, chilling story and deep meaning behind the movie make up for it.
I highly recommend this movie and also that once you finish it you do a bit of research so you know what was meant with this movie. That hidden message behind it .
Love the creative choices, the subtle link to Alice in Wonderland via the rabbits and the almost literal rabbit hole.
And my God, where do they always manage to find those creepy and cute kids!!!
this movie was scary and good make sure y'all check it out
Am I the only one that thinks this movie f'ing sucks balls. Didn't like this at all
If you think the trailer spoiled you the movie, then you are dead wrong. Jordan Peele has created a new masterpiece of horror, dark comedy and the bizarre. A non stop and absolutely creepy nightmare on its own that continues to unravel and twist till the very end. Praise for all the cast and their tethered versions (specially Lupita, Elisabeth and the kids) Excellent musical choices, great comedy moments among all the insanity and a chilling score by Michael Abels!
Bof, I still lost 2 hours of my life.
Do the same thing and tell me if I'm wrong.
From the second the plot starts to unfold, nothing makes sense. The more the movie tries to explain itself, the worse it gets. The writing is bad. The acting is fine. The direction is questionable. The only redeeming quality is the action.
And it's a little bit racist? Aside from character choices, having the dad describe a hidden key as "white sh**"...
I had high expectations since I loved Get Out. This movie had many good funny moments. The horror part wasn't consistent. Some of it were well done, others felt rushed. I have two main issues with this movie. The first one was the pacing, the first half was super slow and the second half was rushed. SPOILERS The second issue is that the "orange clothes" people back story wasn't well explained with incoherent things like having similar children as the originals. It shouldn't have happened since biology doesn't work like that. I wish they explained it better if they had an sensible explanation. Some may say just ignore it and enjoy the movie but I can't, I need logical explaination even if it's fictional. That's what most B horror movies which I didn't expect of this movie.
A very interesting movie that I have to see again to try and interpret everything going on. It's well made, scary, has some decent humor and some great acting. Lupita Nyong'o is phenomenal in both her roles. Winston Duke is the perfect cheesy dad. The kids, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex, both give good performances too. The score is really good too. I hope Jordan Peele keeps making this type of movies.
This movie was a hit for me, right as the opening sequence happened. The music drew me in, as the visuals maintained my attention. From there, I was hooked.
Ending didn't sit right with me. Honestly the dude who writes this crap has issues and needs to seek therapy if you ask me....
Once again fooled by a trailer. One of the crappiest movies ever made.
Don't even get near this movie, horrible and significantly overrated!
It started out like a cookie cutter thriller except with clueless Black parents and an emasculated husband. Then it went down the rabbit hole. Then it entered the matrix, then it went through the twilight zone, and finally it went inception.
The ending was a awwwww man!!!!
I enjoyed it it.
Oh, I get it! 'Cause, like, America.
And gosh, give the dude who scores Peele's films an Oscar already.
Here's the deal. I saw this Thursday, super stoked and came out entertained but frustrated and confused. I rated it a 7. I just saw it for a second time and let me tell you IVE DONE A 180!!!! Alll hype is real for this, its a masterpierce, Peele is a new all time horror director and vision. that sounds insane. i know. but see this more than once it really sings.
A rather terrifying, twisted and very entertaining horror film from the wrapped mindset of Academy Award winner Jordan Peele. I loved his last movie "Get Out" yet, I was more amused when I saw this work of art by this spectacular man.
Also, we need more people like Jordan Peele in this world.
10/10 for me.
Creepy, well acted and fun. I just have to process the ending more. I just had to wrap my head around the ending. To think if it really worked 100%.
Very weird movie. Not bad but not really horror, it has a lot of humor too. Don't know if I would watch it again
I can't figure out why this movie has as high of a rating as it does. It was overall a pretty crappy film.
Cool different take on horror/slasher film
Finally a good movie ! If you didn't like "Get Out" then this movie is not for you. Do not read any spoilers dont even see the trailer. While you think this is a bizarre home invasion and will stay there it will hit you in the stomach and emerge on something really big which i loved also great comedy bits. The script is trully amazing and it takes you major steps in a fantastic direction of plot. Yes some didn't make sense but that does not stop the movie from being original and fantastic. You can read several explanations about it. Oh and the ending was superb!
Another unique and scary movie directed by Jordan Peele. This movie has so many great details and great moments in it along with a great plot.
Good:
-Outstanding allegory of the capitalistic system and US society
-Powerful and courageus social and political criticism.
-Oscar worthy performance of the protagonist Lupita Nyong'o
-Clever use of humour in an horror movie
-"I got five on it"
Bad
-Middle part is a game of cat and mouse that makes little sense. The tethered could have easily killed the protagonist's family in multiple occasions but they don't
-The underlying message and the society in which they (us) live are scary, the film itself not so much
Bluray Quote:
"When you point a finger at someone else, you have three pointing back at you."
An excellent socio-political allegory looking at issues of class and privilege
I wasn't the biggest fan of Jordan Peele's previous film, the smash hit, Get Out; it was a terrific idea and a well-made film, but it left me a little indifferent. However, although it wasn't my all-time favourite movie, I certainly admired how he reformulated the tropes of the genre so as to suggest that just because the US gives the appearance of being a pseudo-post-racial society, it doesn't necessarily mean that that's true behind closed doors and in people's hearts. With Us, he is working in a similarly metaphorical mode, using the tropes of the home invasion thriller to probe issues of class and, especially, privilege, whilst also suggesting that what gives us our humanity may not be the same thing as what makes us human. The plot is an allegory for a nation divided unto itself; a fractured national identity that sees a strict demarcation between those above and those below, the haves and the have-nots, those with opportunity and those without. Essentially, Peele suggests that when social/economic/political inequality is so pronounced for so long, sooner or later, the only recourse available to the have-nots is to make a grand statement, a statement that will almost certainly not be peaceful.
For my complete review, please visit: https://boxd.it/FXU4l
Honestly, it did not have much sense, especially the second half which was forced.
I was so excited to watch this film to be honest. And I was so happy that I did. It's not the kind of horror film that I loved like Get Out but Jordan Peele was able to bring us another horror film that will actually make our jaw drop at the end. What I just love about Jordan Peele is that he really knows how to bring out something new in the genre of horror and thriller. Aside from casting beautiful and great actors, the cinematography and editing of this is really good. It's well written and very well directed. I am so highly recommending this. This is not the type of horror that will keep you up at night but will definitely keep you hook up all throughout while watching it.
This is easily the most “traditional horror” of the Jordan Peele trilogy, and this scratches every itch I want out of a horror movie. It’s creepy. It’s bloody. The premise is unique. The plot isn’t predictable. I refuse to go too much more into it, because if you haven’t seen this movie, it’s not my place to spoil. It’s awesome and you should watch this, especially if you like horror.
Rating: 5/5 (:star:) - 10/10 - Must See
This is definitely a entertaining movie with a little bit of humor. It’s also nice to see a newer movie with Catherine Keener in it as well.
Very clever and original. It had it’s creepy and suspenseful parts, along with it’s funny parts, but I do think the movie ended with some loose ends that needed closure.
Yo what is going on here!!! Hell !! Whaaaaattt ???
Hey, I got scared to the point of looking at my windows!! And looking behind me wvilst waching the movie!! Heeeeeeyyyy !
But this was the first part of the movie. When the murders started to feel better loool
But the FINAL END!!! Genius yo. Somehow it didn't surprise me. 'Cause, hey, you don' t meet yourself and expect you'd get out of there in one piece
Three thumbs ups! Thank you very much :heart:
WAKANDA!
Dark comedy that doesn't hit the right notes. I can see what was attempted but the implementation is all too literal, checkout "The Invitation" which I feel captures some of the same vibe here but the execution is just better.
another Jordan Peele's masterclass.
unbelievable, wow.
Well-directed film. The plot was weak and had some holes, but still enjoyable due to great performances from the cast.
After hearing so much about this movie, and even seeing it on a Rotten Tomatoes "Best Ever Horror Movies" list, I had to watch it. This had to be the absolute biggest waste of my life; what a complete flop. The story took FOREVER to even develop - and yes, as others have pointed out already, there's PLENTY of racism laced throughout - and once it developed, it made absolutely no sense. I kept waiting on something - anything - to happen, to develop, to turn this into "Oh my god what an incredible movie!" but sadly, nothing ever happened. It was as dull, lifeless, and plodding as anything I've ever seen. No idea who the cast are, but I hope I never seen them in anything again. Ever. This movie blew chunks. Man I wish I hadn't wasted a whole evening on this slop.... :thumbsdown_tone2::thumbsdown_tone2::thumbsdown_tone2::thumbsdown_tone2::thumbsdown_tone2::thumbsdown_tone2:
Really great twist, but the narrative wasn't interesting enough to earn it.
US is a dark, gory, and psychological mystery thriller involving an African-american family on their summer vacation when a group of doppelgangers terrorizes them. With multiple horror elements, Us shares an underlying deep social commentary that a normal movie watcher will find hard to decode. US is engaging in parts courtesy of lead actress Lupita but has very little fresh meat to offer.
Telegram : @streamgenx
Full Reviews :
www.instagram.com/stream.genx
Jordan Peele’s sophomore film consolidates his captivating mixture of socially-conscious black humor and eccentric horror-infused thriller, and takes it to a further level from an artistic and technical standpoint. While “Get Out” showed some indecisiveness of tone, this time Peele went full-on horror and adopted a more straightforward approach.
The doppelgängers are a recurrent element in cinema, but it might be the first time that they are used as a social metaphor for all the people who are stuck in poverty just for the sake of maintaining the wealthy lives of our rich asses. It’s an intriguing and ambitious concept, but it felt at times like the film lacked the subtlety and sophistication to pull it off. As a horror flick, it's constantly entertaining and well structured, but at the same time, I couldn’t help noticing the sudden bumps into shameless B-movie camp.
It also felt like Peele went too heavy-handed on social commentary and left too many hints, visual cues, and additional explanations to make sure that his message is going through. The final twist was also very obvious from the beginning.
One of the best horror films in recent years, but nothing revolutionary.
the screenplay is just fine. the direction is good, the pace and the mood of the film is set carefully, i can feel the creepy and horror vibe of the film. but the performance of lupita is even better, it is superb, she should have won an oscar for this! playing 1 character in a film is hard enough, she play 2! the film may not hit as hard without her!
I really liked the film. It's surreal and terrifying. It holds the attention during the whole movie and makes you scared of this happening to you too haha. I just didn't liked the final, I think it had fled too much from the proposed and made everything confusing. But it's a great movie, it really looks like a Jordan Peele piece of art.
"Press X to Jason" Take a shot every time you hear "Jason!"
I may type out a review for this later but all I can say now is it isn't as good as Get Out.
Interesting concept of the revenge of the living dead. ;) Oh, for the final twist +1. ;>
Creepy movie. Kinda funny too, in some scenes. I do feel like there are more things I have to understand about it but still, I enjoyed it
Jordan Peele is a really, really good writer/director. Like, holy crap. Wow.
"If you wanna get crazy, we can get crazy.."
That moment when you trying to sound tough, but come across as doing a Christopher Walken impression.
Anywhere…
‘US’ is no horror masterpiece, but does not waste an excellent concept in terms of execution and the talent involved. The film creeps into your thoughts long after leaving the cinema and already that’s an achievement. This is Jordan Peele’s second feature movie that takes a horror trope of a family in peril and goes “but what if...”. While the movie dose stick with you long after it’s done, you slowly reflect on things that don’t make sense when given some thought. However, I will take original concepts any day.
Lupita Nyong'o is absolutely terrific as the troubled mother with a mysterious past and the unnerving doppelganger Red. The differences in her performance with facial, vocal, movement and how she carried herself throughout the movie looked effortless. Toni Collette delivered the best performance of last year with ‘Hereditary’, and this year is Lupita. I also make this comparison as the sad reality that Lupita will likely be overlooked by the Academy Awards the same as the Collette, because the labeled genre horror - damn shame.
The child actors (Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex) were both pretty good, especially during the scenes when they looked terrified and how they both played the doppelgangers. I find it amusing to see Winston Duke playing the comedic relief compared to his past roles so far, which I got most of the chuckles from.
The score was very unique to say the least. The mixture on modern, classics and original compose music resulted in a fascinating approach that manage to elevate the intensity even more. The cinematography is visually striking with the use of shadows and colors that models the film’s presence.
Jordan Peele manages to juggle so many ideas with social commentary, themes, horror, trauma, America, ect. I can’t progress how peculiar Peele’s career has shifted and suddenly becoming the most promising voice in horror, if he chooses to continue with this genre or explore different things. I just hope we don’t have another M. Night Shyamalan situation where frame goes to one’s head.
For issues: I wish the film was more ambiguous and didn’t explain itself towards the end, especially the last shot. Some of the humor deflates the tension in inappropriate segments that stopped me from scared. As I said before, the film juggles so many ideas, although at times feels like it’s saying too little.
Other than that, I still think this is a strong follow up to ‘Get Out’ and I’ll see Peele’s next movie no matter what.
Overall rating: Watch yourself.
Some of the acting was a definite 10, but the movie was not. I'm not even going to attempt to delve into why, but most other reviewers seem to have it covered. There may be some interesting concepts in there, given some thought; but I feel like the execution of it all leaves too many questions unanswered for it to really work, and leaves a lot of viewers unsatisfied in the end.
Great Idea. But the plot and outcome of the story was disappointing (Would only be acceptable in underground movies)
Another movie which sadly failed to live up to its predecessor. Get Out being one of my favorite movies in many years, I didn’t expect Us to surpass it. Even still, I was slightly disappointed by it.
When fully embracing its horror side, Us was incredibly compelling. When it wasn’t, and especially in its expedition-dumpy and slightly ham-fisted ending sequence, I found myself somewhat bored. Still, on the whole I enjoyed the experience and will gladly look out for Jordan Peele’s next production.
i really liked the movie but i think that instead of having red adelaide explain the whole thing, it'd been better if the characters figured things out on their own, which they are obviously capable of, since they're not just your regular dumb horror movie characters.
this movie was stupid and very predictable
Original and interesting movie. The final third of the film clashes a bit and the supposed final surprise is very predictable. Still worth it
Wasn't even able to finish it :(
Very creepy and fantastic acting by Lupita Nyong'o. I wish the backstory had been fleshed out a little more, as I still don't really buy in to the how. But I do buy into the why, thanks to the final piece of information.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Even though there were suspenseful scenes, there were still funny moments in the middle. I love it! Watching it is pure fun!Guns though. Where are the guns?! Americans always have guns.
There is quite a lot to untether within this movie. Firstly, I found that it combined suspense, comedy, absurdity and horror quite well. The symbolism in this movie is quite apparent, however, it does generate a semblance of open source, instead of telling you how you're supposed to feel about things.
I'd probably liken this movie to Cabin in the Woods in the sense that it's just something different and enjoyable and certainly not what it seems.
First of all, it is not an horror movie. I don't even think it is a post-horror movie. That being said, I don't know how people still create expectations for scary stuff and ordinary horror in these kind of movies (please, guys, do your homework).
And I think it is an awesome movie with very good acting, an excelent score and an intriguing story, even if you can't see behind the curtains of it all...
I want nominations for Lupita and for this original score, man.
After a debut like Get Out, poor Jordan Peele has some pretty high expectations for his sophomore film. On its own, Us is a very intriguing and unique modern horror film. Compared to Get Out, it's slightly lesser, but still compelling. This is much more heavy on the horror and lighter on the societal allegory (at least upon my initial viewing), but there are some good discussion starter themes throughout. What kept me glued to the screen, however, was the acting. Everyone was superb. Absolutely amazingly acted throughout. The stinger at the end was pretty telegraphed and the climactic exposition dump was...odd... so the last third suffered a bit, after a tense second act and touching first act, but didn't ultimately detract too much from the overall product. Genre fans should definitely check it out (and I'm sure most already have).
Works as both horror movie and an 'us and them' satire detailing the differences (or not) of the haves and have nots . I enjoyed it a lot, and while there is a huge exposition dump near the end that almost derails the mystery, it still has enough twists up its sleeve to surprise us.
This movie sucks anus. Seriously it's bad, no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
Film ini sangat bagus sekali
Ok google this is film thrilled
Shout by Saint PaulyBlockedParent2019-03-20T20:18:05Z
I liked Us, I liked Us a lot. Sadly, when you compare Us to others, you may feel those that came before Us were better than Us, but don't think that makes Us any less valid. Because after you leave Us, and you will leave Us, you'll think about Us often, and remember Us fondly.